Scenes from the community walk, dedication ceremony and reception for the Sitka Sea Walk

On Friday, Oct. 18, Sitka celebrated the grand opening of its new Sitka Sea Walk with a community walk of the entire route from Crescent Harbor to just before the entrance to the Sitka National Historical Park, a dedication ceremony near the spur over the harbor breakwater, and a reception at the Sitka Sound Science Center.

About 25-30 people showed up for the community walk early the morning of Alaska Day, with Monique Anderson of Anderson Land Planning and City and Borough of Sitka project manager Dan Tadic leading the way. The walk featured periodic stops along the way to point out different features of the Sitka Sea Walk, with several members of the architecture, landscaping, construction and other crews providing insight.

After walking the full length of the Sitka Sea Walk (the part entering the Sitka National Historical Park will be finished by the National Park Service at a later date), the group hiked back to the area by the spur over the Crescent Harbor breakwater for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The crowd had grown to about 50 by the time acting city manager Jay Sweeney spoke a few words and then Mayor Mim McConnell and Sen. Bert Stedman used big scissors to cut the ribbon. A reception followed at the Sitka Sound Science Center.

Here is a slideshow of images from the event.

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